Nigerian Youths Treat Politics As Means Of Survival, Not Service, Onimisi Laments

Many Nigerian youths are chasing political office to survive, not to serve, the founder of the Onono Onimisi Foundation (OOF) has said.

Onono Onimisi said this in a statement made available to journalists yesterday.

“Somewhere between unemployment, economic frustration, and watching convoys speed past struggling communities, a mindset was born: enter politics and escape poverty,” she said.

She described the trend as dangerous. “Politics is not a poverty alleviation scheme. It is public service,” Onono said.

According to her, many young people now approach politics without ideology, depth of policy, or a reform strategy. Survival instinct drives their ambitions.

Leadership, she said, has become a business. Generosity is now often a rehearsal for candidacy.

“The voting culture worries me. Nigerians prefer a rich candidate with no ideology over a competent leader with integrity,” Onimisi added.

She urged youths to build skills, businesses and independence first. “When you are economically free, you enter politics differently. You are prepared to serve, not desperate to survive,” she said.

Onimisi warned that a generation that chases money over merit will produce leaders who escape poverty rather than build national prosperity.

“The question is not who wants power. The real question is: who is prepared to lead?” she said.